Porsche Revived This 20-Year-Old Carrera GT to ‘Zero-Kilometer Condition’

      Porsche

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      It's a hard truth for many Millennials to accept, but the Porsche Carrera GT has now reached its 20th anniversary. Examples of this supercar from Porsche's late 1990s era are now eligible for refurbishment through the automaker’s Sonderwunsch (German for “special wish”) division. This process restores cars to a like-new state, but one owner requested something beyond the standard.

      Victor Gómez, a Carrera GT owner from Puerto Rico, sent his 2005 model back to the factory for some care. He also requested a version of the red and white “Salzburg” livery that adorned the Porsche 917, which triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970. This race marked the beginning of a record-setting 19 overall wins at the prestigious French event. The victorious car was driven by Hans Herrmann and Richard Atwood, and it was one of two entered by Porsche Alpenstraße, a dealership located south of Salzburg, Austria.

      Porsche's Sonderwunsch team is experienced in applying classic racing liveries to newer vehicles. In 2021, they decorated a 992 911 GT3 owned by Paolo Barilla in the livery of the 956, which he drove to victory at the 1985 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, adapting the Salzburg livery from the 917 to the distinctly different shape of the Carrera GT presented a unique challenge, as Porsche highlighted in a press release.

      Designers began with sketches before creating more detailed renderings. They then used tape on the bodywork to ensure the arrangement of the white lines over the predominant red paint was accurate. Similar to the original race car, the Carrera GT features white roundels with the racing number 23. Matte carbon fiber roof panels, pillars, mirror caps, front air duct, and rear diffuser add a modern element while contrasting with the bright paint. A black engine cover and wheels complement these components, and all paintwork is shielded with a transparent film.

      Gómez also requested a red interior to align with the exterior theme. Red Alcantara adorns the dashboard, door panels, steering wheel rim, center console, and even the front trunk and custom luggage set. There is also a touch of matte carbon fiber trim, and the seat shells are constructed from this lightweight material. The seats are upholstered in the same FIA-approved fabric found in the 918 Spyder.

      The factory refurbishment extends to all mechanical components, each of which was inspected and overhauled after disassembly. This process restores the car to something akin to “zero kilometer condition,” as mentioned in the release. Comprehensive documentation is provided, so future owners will be aware of what was rebuilt, replaced, or, in this case, significantly altered from the original specifications.

      The Carrera GT deserves such attention. Introduced in 2003, it features a 5.7-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine derived from a never-used Le Mans competitor, along with one of the earliest carbon-fiber chassis in a production vehicle. This combination of 604 horsepower and a weight of 3,042 pounds remains impressive even after two decades. Last year, a Carrera GT equipped with modern tires clocked a lap time of 7:12.69 at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, improving its previous record by 16 seconds.

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